Bottle-filling-machine nozzle and support



jOct. 8, 1929. T. E. PENNOCK l BOTTLE FILLING MACHINE NOZZLE AND SUPPORT I Filed Apil 6, 1925 Tulul.. ...u A-

meedere [1'. Pennock Patented oct. 8, 1929 UNITED STA meer THEODORE E. PENNOCK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO STANDARD AUTO- MATIC MACHINE COMPANY, 0F ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OFNEW YORK BOTTLE-FILLING-MACHINE NozzLE AND SUPPORT 'i Application led April 6, 1925. Serial No. 20,972.

This invention relates to bottle filling machines, and particularly to bottle filling machines of the type operating by vacuum.

' The object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of filling machine, and particularly vacuum filling machine. f

Another object is to provide an improved vacuum filling machine in which the nozzle is mounted in such a manner that when a bottle is brought into engagement with the sealing member to move it upwardly, a yielding resistance to said movement is provided so as to form an air-tight seal between said bottle and sealingmember without danger of injury to the bottle.

A further object is to provide an improved vacuum filling machine in which provision is made for mounting the nozzle in such a manner that when abottle is brought into engagement with the nozzle without being properly aligned therewith, the yielding resistance shall be rendered inoperative after a predetermined upward movement of said nozzle to thereafter allow said nozzle to rise freely in order to prevent injury to said bottle or nozzle.

With these and such other objects in view as shall hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the bottle filling machine and in the structures, arrange-ments and combinations of parts hereinafter shown and described and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view showing one form of support for the nozzle block, said nozzle block having attached thereto a nozzle adapted to be used in the filling ofbottles having a relatively small opening in the neck thereof. f 17Figure 2 is a bottom plan view ofthe part 18Figure 3 is a bottom planview of the-part 3. l lFigure 4 is a top plan view of the Figure 5 is a top plan view of the bridge partly broken away showing the nozzle block supported thereon.

collar Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing a nozzlev i block supported inthe manner disclosedv in my United States Patent No. 1,418,203, said nozzle block having attached thereto a nozzle adapted to be used in the filling of bottles having larger openings in the necks thereof than those shown in Fig. 1. In Figure 1 Iy have shown one form of support for the nozzle block, which will be described as follows: In the drawing reference numeral 150` rep resent's the bridge which has a vertical slot 151 therein. On this bridge are mounted a series of brackets 152 each of which is clamped in place on the bridge by a bolt 153. At the top of each bracket are provided the two lugs 154, 155 having a wide opening'between them. These lugs are perforated Yso as to receive the rod 156 which is free toslide therein. Surrounding this rod lis the collar 157 which is provided witha latch 158 pivoted at 159 therein. Y This collaris slotted at 160 to receive the latch and the` spring161 by which the latch is heldin position.` The rod 156 is provided with an annular groove 162 with which the latch .158 normallyengages with some lost motion between them so that the collar and rod are joinedtogether thereby. This causes the collar to rise and yfall with the rod. Fastened to the bracket 152 is the stationary cam plate 163, the forward edge 164 of which is slightly inclined from the vertical and engages with the latch 158. When the rod 156 is pushed up for Vany reason it carries the latch 158 and collar 15,7 with it.

As the latch and collar rise, the latch rides against the edge 164 of the cam plate 163 and is moved outward out of engagement with the groove162. As soon as the latch hasv been completelyl disengaged from the rod, the rod 156 is free to move up independently of the latch and collar. A compression espring 165 surrounds the rod 156 and presses with-its lower end against the collar 157 and with its upper e-nd against the lug 154. This spring normally holds the collar 157 and rod 156 down. When the rod and collar ascend the collar 157 compresses the spring 165 as long as the latch 158 remainsin engagementr with the recess 162. As soon as the latchhas been pushed out from the recess by the stationary cam 164, the spring 165 pushes the collar 157 back against the lug 155 and holds it there while the rod 156 rises without the resistance of the spring. The rod 156 carries a collar 166 on its upper end which engages with the lug 154 and limits its downward movement. At its lower end the rod 156 supports the nozzle block 167, which is machined out with two seats 168 and 169 of diierent diameters which are provided to receive the nozzle bases 170 and 171 which form part of the air and liqui-d nozzles. The opening in the nozzle block is suitably threaded adjacent to these seats so that the bases 17 0 and 171 of the nozzles may be screwed therein. Tubes 172 and 173 lead laterally'from the openings which communicate withthe nozzles.

As shown in the igure, a nozzle 174 leads i i from the base 170 which nozzle in this case,

is shown to be ot a very small diameter and somewhat smaller than the opening in the bottle. This nozzle is adapted to be used in the filling of bottles having very small openings therein. The base 171 is provided with a downwardly extending tube 175 which is surrounded by a rubber seal 176. It is also provided with an upwardly extending sleeve 17 5Awhich may be omitted. All these parts from 168 to 174 inclusive are carried on the block 167.

A nozzle and bottle guide 177 is provided which r,is carried ona bar 178 which is free to rise and fall in a suitable guide 179 provided in the bracket 152. This bar 178 carries a block 178A on itsV upper end which acts as an abutment on the guide 179 to limit the downward y movement of the bar 178 and yguide 177 at its lowest position. In order to normally retain the bottle guide 177 in the position 'shown in Fig. 1 while permitting it to move upwardly when engaged by a bottle, a coil v.spring 18o-A surrounding a rod 180 secured at itslower end in the bottle Iguide 17 7 and slidably mounted in the guide 179, is interposed between a lug 179-A formed in the guide 179 and the` bottle guide 177. The .guide 177 is provided with a converging throat 181 which leads `to a,rubber packing or seal 182 which is held in place by a cap 183 suitably threaded in the guide block 177. The ca p 183 is provided with four small ribs 1844-A which hold the end of the nozzle 17 4 v lcentered therein, when the guide block 177 :est position. When the platen 185-A rises it .carries the bottle 185 up against the ,guide block which is shapedv so that the bottle will be centered thereby and the top yot the bottle will rpressagainst the rubber seal 182. As

l the bottle continues to rise it carries the guide block 177 with it until the block 183 makes Contact with the rubber seal 176. It the bottle rises further it pushes the nozzle block 167 up and carries up the collar 157. In the regular lilling operation the collar 157 will remain in engagement with the rod 156 so that the pressure of the spring 165 will be exerted to hold the block and the packing down on the top of the bottle. It, however, the nozzle 17 4 should strike the top of the bottle, the rod 156 will rise abnormally so that the collarv 157 will be disengaged from the rod 156 in which case the rod 156 will be :tree to travel up until the block 167 abuts against the lug 155. As shown in Figure 5 the rod 156 when lifted passes through the slot in the bridge that supports the bracket. When the platen descends with the bottle, the block 167 drops of its own weight to the bottom of its travel, at which point the latch 158 again engages with the groove 162 so that the collar'and rod are again joined together.

In the normal operation when the block 183 is raised to make sealing contact with the seal 176 the liquid begins to flow into the bot,

tle. It will be under-stood that the air is being continually sucked up through the nozzle 17 4, and air is being sucked idly out of the bottle after the nozzle engages therewith unt-il the bottle' and block 183 are brought into close contact with each other and with the rubber seal 176. Thenthe vacuum in the bottle will cause the liquid to flow through the tluid line down into the bottle. v

As soon as vthe bottle is filled to the lower end of the air nozzle, the excess liquid thereafter entering the bottlewill be dra-wn off through the air suction line and removed rfrom the bottle as soon as it enters it. vIt will be understood that the apparatus shown here is intended :toruse in connection withthe well known type of all lglass sprinkler top :bottles which have a very .small opening therein or any other type otbo-,ttle provided with a very small opening whereit is preferable to have 'but one tube enter the 'bottle It will lalso be understood that these bottles are usually provided with long necks and it is not desirable to ill such bottlesto within several inches of the top,but it is. desirable to leaveconsidera'ble air in the neck of the bottle,'to facilitate the shaking of the contentsout otsuch bottles.

Y, In Figureu2 I have ,shown a bottom plan View ot the part 171 showin@ an opening .therein .provided with ribs 17u-A' which center the air nozzle 174 in said opening and at the same time provide passages through which the liquid may flow linto the bottles. In Figure `3 I yhave shown .a similar view of the part 183 in which similar ribs 184e-.A are also formed. Y In Figure 4 I have shown a plan view of the collar 157 and the'latch 158 showing 'how Y it engages with the rod 156.

In Figure 6 I have shown a sectional elevation of my improved nozzle block and support as arranged to be used in connection with the machine shown in my U. S. Patent- 1,Ll18,203 in which case the slot in the bridge 150 extends horizontally therethrough and a portion 152-A of the bracket 152 engages the side of the bridge and is fastened thereto by the bolt 153, the parts otherwise being the same as shown in Figure 1.

The collar 157, spring 161, latch 158, spring 165 and cam 163, pin 159 are not needed except in certain cases an-d may be omitted if the weight of the nozzle block is heavy enough to make a seal. It will also be understood that the bracket 152 can be interchangeably used in connection with either of the lling heads and nozzles as shown in Figures 1 and 6 and with any other of the well known types of filler heads.

I claim:

l. In a bottle filling machine, in combination, a Xed bracket, a stem slidably mounted therein, a nozzle secured to said stem, means for moving a bottle upwardly into engagement with said nozzle to impart an upward movement to said nozzle and stem, means for yieldingly holding said stem down durin the first part of its upward movement, an means for releasing said stem therefrom after it has risen a predetermined distance and thereafter permitting it to rise freely.

2.`In a bottle filling machine, in combination, a Xed bracket, a stem slidably mounted therein, a nozzle secured to said stem, means for moving a bottle upwardly into engage-v ment with said nozzle to impart an upward movement to said nozzle and stem, a collar mounted on said stem and arranged to engage therewith, a spring pressing down on said collar, and means for disengaging said collar from said stem after they have been raised a predetermined distance to permit said-stem to rise freely thereafter.

3. In abottle filling machine, in combination, a fixed bracket, a stem sli-dably mounted therein, a nozzle secured to said stem, means for moving a bottle upwardly into engagement with said nozzle to impart an upward V movement to` said nozzle, a collar mounted on said stem, a latch on said collar arranged to engage a recess in said stem, a spring pressing downwardly on said collar, a cam on said bracket arranged to engage said latch to disengage it from said stem after a predetermined amount of movement thereof to thereafter permit said stem to rise freely.

4. In a bottle filling machine, a bracket, a rod slidably mounted therein, a collar mounted on said rod, a latch on said collar arranged to hold said collar in engagement with said rod, means for positively limiting the mov-ement of said rod and collar in one.

direction, means for yieldingly resisting the initial movement of said collar in the oppo- 

